The present application relates to electronics assemblies, and more particularly, to electronics assemblies such as integrated circuit assemblies that utilize an alkali silicate glass material to couple or join components of such assembly together.
Components of integrated circuit assemblies are often coupled together using adhesive materials (e.g., organic adhesive materials such as die attach, thermal epoxies, silver-filled epoxies, and anisotropic adhesives).
One disadvantage associated with conventional adhesive materials is that such materials can absorb moisture, which may degrade the adhesive materials and/or the interfaces to the materials that they connect through chemical decomposition, material expansion, and the like. Other factors such as exposure to elevated temperatures, ozone, or ultraviolet light can also degrade some organic adhesive materials. In addition, organic-based adhesives typically have coefficients of thermal expansion on the order of 100 ppm per degree Celsius, which can lead to adhesion and/or cohesion failures when components, such as silicon integrated circuits (3 ppm per degree Celsius) are subjected to temperature variations. This potential degradation of the adhesive materials and their interfaces to the structures within electronics components can limit their suitability for use in harsh environments, and can lead to failures during the operational lifetime of the devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method of coupling or attaching electronic components in integrated circuit assemblies. There is also a need for a material that may act to secure such components together that can be processed and cured at relatively low temperatures in a reliable manner and which is relatively robust when exposed to harsh environments (e.g., environments that may promote degradation of conventional organic adhesive materials).